Drilling glass in the winter?

[VicD81]

Goooooooood morning. It Is a brisk Wednesday morning here in NJ with temps dropping to the low 20's. I hope to FINALLY get my tank drilled tomorrow when the temp will drop to the high teens. EEEK!!! Anyway has anyone drilled a tank in extreme weather like this? Being as how the bit needs to be lubricated I don't want to crack the tank with the differences in temperatures.

 

[dvskin]

Is there any way to do it inside?? Also, if you can, I would bring it in n let it sit inside for a while so the glass "warms up" or becomes room temp. I never thought about the cold temps and drilling, definitely a good one.

How ya liking the temps, I'm in R.I. and its just as bad. Lol

Chad

 

[VicD81]

The weather is not too bad now that I got a desk job. :tea: Im an Aircraft mechanic and when I was outside we would have to warm up every time we tightened a screw!

I could do the job in the basement next to the sump pump, but if it can be done outside (with no adverse effects) I would prefer that next to having shards of glass everywhere.

 

[billrob71]

Hello

I have drilled about a dozen or so and there are not shards at all. If you make a ring of plummers putty around where your going to drill fill it with water, you need water on the bit to keep it cool anyway, there won't be any shards just glass dust. Don't push just let the bit do all the work and you will be fine.

I've drill tanks from 10 gallons to 150 gallons and all were the same.

 

[billrob71]

Also temperature should not matter but since it takes a long time do it inside.

 

[VicD81]

Yea guess ill just do it inside. I'll just tilt the tank so the water flows towards the sump pump. I'll let u guys know how it all works out.

 

[dvskin]

Yea, you will be fine with the shards. It more of "sands/files"through the glass. Not like a glass cutter does.

As far as temps.. I could see it snapping if the glass is really cold and the drill heats up that spot. You shouldn't have any problems if you do it inside though.

 

[cdness]

Low teens is cold? We finally hit 1 degree above this morning I have been working on my vehicle and snow blower outside in -20 degree weather. I would never drill a tank outdoors in the winter up here.

However with that said, add a garage heater and do it in the garage. This way you won't make a mess indoors.

 

[VicD81]

Finally got it done. Did it in my basement next to the sump pump so the mess wasn't too bad. But I think I have a problem. What do u guy think did I just convert this 2 month old thank into a reptile enclosure?

Each crack is about 1.5" long, and it's just that one hole the other 3 are perfect. ***!!! Currently filling it with tap water and marking the cracks to see if they progress.

 

[inurocker]

Ouch!

 

[VicD81]

So what do I do? Would this hold when filled with water or do I have to scrap the tank?

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Sorry to see that. I would not trust the pane as-is... you could potentially silicone a piece of glass over top of the hole/crack covering well past the crack then drill somewhere else, or replace that entire pane. I highly suspect the cracks would get larger over time or pane completely fail, particularly when you installed a bulkhead on there which will add stress. Best of luck, sorry again.

 

[_Alex_]

I would not trust it. Looks like a mess waiting to happen

 

[dvskin]

Oh man! Sry to see that. I definitely wouldn't trust it. The crack it just gonna spread. Really sucks dude.

 

[inurocker]

I would replace the panel.

 

[VicD81]

I was afraid of that. I do have another tank that sprung a leak. Thinking I would try drilling that one n reseal it after. It was the first and only hole that cracked.

 

[VicD81]

Come to think about it that first hole was way quicker to drill than the others i prob put too much pressure on it (My drill is soo big and trigger heavy)! ***! I was originally going to do a test run on my tank that sprung a leak but I guess I got over confident. Ill try again this weekend on the other tank and if all goes well ill just repair that one. How many times can i use the hole saw before it gets dull and useless?

 

[grozier]

Ouch man. Has anybody ever tempted to drill a tank half full of water?

 

[ravi197699]

use sandwitch method my 40breeder that I am using as sump cracked due to too much tighten of the bulkhead and I bought 2 pcs of glass and installed one from inside and one from outside and cracked glass in the middle and its working just fine without any issues.....make sure to use enough silicone...